


City Girls

by Burgie



Series: WillowxAlex AU [7]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-08 19:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15936491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Alex takes Willow on a date. Willow belongs to willownorthbook.





	City Girls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [willownorthbook](https://archiveofourown.org/users/willownorthbook/gifts).



Willow was just settling in to cook dinner when the knock came at the door. Brownie, her little fox, immediately ran for the front door, yapping and running in circles when he got there. Willow gave a small chuckle as she set down the potato that she’d been just about to start peeling.

“Yes, Brownie, you’re a great guard fox,” said Willow, bending down to pat him. “Which is more than I can say for you.” With this, she looked at Gracie, her lazy grey long-furred cat who was currently curled up on the back of her couch. She opened the door and was surprised to see her girlfriend standing there, looking quite pretty in the light of the sunset.

“Hey,” said Alex, giving her a lazy grin.

“Alex, hi,” said Willow, immediately worrying about her hair, what she was wearing, if she had any dirt on her hands or food on her face. Good thing Alex hadn’t come about ten minutes later, when she would’ve been speckled with potato starch.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” said Alex, looking into the house past Willow. The TV was still on, paused on the show that Willow had been watching on Jorflix before her stomach had informed her that food would be wise.

“No, not really,” said Willow, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I was just about to make dinner but I can make it for two.”

“Oh. Uh, I hope you don’t have anything on the stove, then,” said Alex.

“Not yet,” said Willow, frowning. “Why?” A slow smile spread across her face. Alex didn’t look like she was here on any urgent business or anything, so it couldn’t be druid-related.

“Get your coat, then, my dear, and turn the oven off,” said Alex with a cheeky grin. “Because I’m taking you out for dinner.”

“Oh my god,” said Willow with a laugh, feeling joy spread through her. “You’re actually taking me out for dinner.”

“Hey, I can’t be a world-saving, heroic Soul Rider all the time,” said Alex. “I just felt like doing something normal for once. So, come with me?”

“I’ll get my coat and turn the oven off,” said Willow, grinning. With that, she turned and headed back into her house, heading straight for the kitchen first to turn the stove off and put the vegetables away again. The meat would keep for another night.

“You were making yourself meat and veg for dinner?” asked Alex, standing in the kitchen doorway and watching Willow.

“Yeah,” said Willow.

“I’m glad one of us is responsible,” said Alex with a chuckle.

“Didn’t you say that you used to need to cook for your family?” asked Willow.

“Yeah but it was mostly easy stuff like tacos and pizza,” said Alex. “Nothing normal and responsible.”

“My parents wanted to make sure I could cook for myself and stay healthy before I moved out,” said Willow. “Which was probably smart of them. Woman can’t live on takeout and easy meals alone.”

“Right. Well, I hope you don’t mind if we get takeout tonight,” said Alex. “We’re going to get pizza or something and then I’m going to take you somewhere real special.”

“Hey, I wasn’t dissing takeout, I’d never do that,” said Willow. “Just saying, is all.”

“Cool, cool,” said Alex, nodding. “Want me to get Rebel for you? Or would you prefer Jade?”

“Rebel,” said Willow. “And I can do that, you don’t have to.”

“Just two girls and their ponies, out for a night on the town,” said Alex. Willow smiled. “I may as well at least go say hi to him.”

“You’re not in a hurry, are you?” asked Willow. Alex glanced at her watch.

“As long as we’re there by sunset,” said Alex. “Or when the stars come out. Twilight, that.”

“Okay,” said Willow, a little confused now. But she was also excited- Alex wasn’t really the romantic type, so her taking Willow out was something new and exciting.

Even though Willow had told her not to, by the time she came outside dressed in a dark brown sweater, black jeans, a black beanie, black boots and dark glasses, Alex had Rebel ready to go.

“This okay for our date?” asked Willow, gesturing to her outfit. Alex was wearing her usual clothes anyway, cargo pants and a dark grey hoodie over a lighter grey t-shirt (also with boots and an orange beanie), but she had to be sure. She might look too emo.

“You look stunning, my dear,” said Alex, pulling her in for a kiss. “Oh wow, nice sweater.”

“Thanks, Lily Bones gave it to me,” said Willow, enjoying the feeling of the thick, woolen fabric. “For trying out her Icelandic race.”

“Ah, the perks of a Soul Rider, getting free stuff,” said Alex. She pulled herself up into her saddle. “Let’s be off.”

“Where to?” asked Willow as she climbed into Rebel’s saddle after checking her girth.

“Somewhere you might be familiar with, actually,” said Alex. “Only this time, we’re not catching the bus in. I know a way.”

The two set off, Willow riding beside Alex at a slow gallop. It felt so nice to have the wind in her hair, to have Alex riding beside her, to know that they were going somewhere very special, just for the two of them.

“This way,” said Alex as they got a little deeper into Mistfall’s forest, slowing to a trot now. Willow would have felt nervous, but she was following Alex, so it was fine. Her girlfriend would keep her safe, always.

Alex led Willow to a little dark place (not that they were exactly rare in this forest) and then stopped there, gesturing towards a dark passage with her hand.

“Yikes, this kind of looks like a trap,” said Willow.

“It’s not, I promise,” said Alex. “We take it all the time, don’t we, Tin Can?”

“I can assure you, Rider, the path forward is safe,” said Tin Can. “We take this path to school because Alex can’t afford the bus. Or, well, we used to.”

“It’s not that I can’t afford it, I just… wanted to spend more time with my Soul Steed,” said Alex, petting his neck.

“Going soft on me, are we, Cloudmill?” asked Tin Can with a nicker. Willow giggled at their banter.

“Shut up,” said Alex. She nudged him forward through the passage, Willow following behind. She could see a light in Alex’s hand and knew that it was magical in nature only by the way that her arm hairs stood on end. It was kind of uncomfortable, but she was glad for the light.

The passage seemed to last forever, but, eventually, Willow began to notice that it was getting lighter up ahead. Only a little, what with it being night and all, but enough to see by.

“Woah,” said Willow when they came out into a lush green meadow. She could see a few trees, and a few low stone fences like the ones in Silverglade.

“See? That spooky passage is worth it for this view,” said Alex, grinning. “And there’s Jorvik City, dead ahead.” She pointed, and Willow could see the setting sun glinting off of the windows of tall buildings and the windows of cars.

“It definitely beats the bus,” said Willow, already heading across the meadow.

“I’ll say,” said Alex with a chuckle. She followed her girlfriend, the horses kicking up the earthy scent of the grass underhoof.

“But wait a second,” said Willow when they were about halfway across the meadow. “Horses aren’t allowed in Jorvik City.”

“That’s what the meadow is for,” said Alex, giving her a wink. “C’mon.”

At the edge of the meadow closest to Jorvik City, Willow and Alex dismounted. There was a familiar woman waiting there.

“Rhiannon!” said Willow, surprised to see her here.

“Hey, you two,” said Rhiannon, nodding to them. “Here for a bit?”

“Yeah, just keep an eye on these two and make sure they don’t get up to too much mischief,” said Alex. “We’ll be back in a bit, just going to get dinner.”

“Alright,” said Rhiannon, giving them a smile.

It had been a while since Willow had been in Jorvik City. Sure, she came to visit her parents from time to time, and she’d come here with Alex on a few dates or with friends on group outings, but these days she preferred the wilderness. It was definitely different, to be walking the streets of an evening. Some shops were closed, but others were lit up in bright, neon lights. It was one of these latter shops that they went to, the smell of pizza and hamburgers wafting out and making Willow’s stomach growl, reminding her that she still hadn’t eaten.

“Alex Cloudmill! As I live and breathe,” said the swarthy man who stood in front of the pizza ovens behind the counter.

“Hey, Joe,” said Alex, lifting her hand in a wave.

“And who’s this pretty little thing, huh?” said Joe, smiling at Willow. He looked friendly, though, so Willow took no offense.

“This is my girlfriend,” said Alex, wrapping an arm around Willow’s waist. “Willow.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Willow. She couldn’t remember having ever met Joe before, though she recognised the place.

“Likewise,” said Joe. “So, what’ll it be tonight? Meatlovers? Pepperoni? Supreme? That one whose name we do not speak of? Seafood?” Alex laughed, turning to Willow.

“What are you in the mood for?” asked Alex, holding her hand.

“Pizza and fries sound like nice date food,” said Willow.

“That and I’ll just grab a large Coke from the fridge,” said Alex, going to grab that.

“Sounds like my kinda evening,” said Joe. “I’ll get it done real quick. Which pizza?”

“Pepperoni,” said Willow. It was a classic, after all.

“Easy done,” said Joe. “Garlic bread?”

“Yes please,” said Willow, her stomach still growling. Joe chuckled, probably hearing the sound.

While they waited for their food, Alex and Willow flipped through the years-old magazines, laughing at the fashions and commenting on the pretty women. Willow, for once, felt no jealousy over this. Maybe she really was getting used to the idea that Alex was her girlfriend and loved her very much.

She was relieved when their food came, though, and the two could return to the paddock. Rebel lifted her head with a whinny at the smell of the food, though Willow had to laugh and push her away.

“People food, Rebel, people food!” Willow chastised her.

“You can’t eat meat,” said Rhiannon, grabbing Rebel’s halter. The mare pinned her ears and snorted, but listened to the Wild Whisperer.

“Teach me your ways,” said Willow.

“In time,” said Rhiannon. “You two enjoy your date, now.”

“We will,” said Alex. “Thanks for looking after our horses.”

“It’s always a pleasure,” said Rhiannon, smiling at them as they departed, the pizza box balanced carefully on Tin Can’s hindquarters.

“It’s just up here,” said Alex, taking the lead as she and Willow rode up a sloping rode. It wound around a hill, becoming crumbly at the edges in places, but both horses and riders managed to reach the summit with no dramas.

“Oh,” said Willow, her eyes widening when they reached the top.

“And this is why I brought you here,” said Alex with a chuckle. “Ever been up here before?”

“Yeah,” said Willow, remembering flashes of a romance that was long gone now. “But it feels more special with you.” Alex smiled and leaned in, giving her a kiss.

“It’s called Make Out Point for a reason,” said Alex. She dismounted, grabbing the pizza box and heading over to a spot that was already laid out for a picnic.

“Alex,” said Willow, looking at her girlfriend. “Did you come up here and set this up earlier?”

“Always be prepared,” said Alex with a grin. 

“And if I’d said no?” asked Willow.

“Positively prepared,” said Alex. “I mean, I could’ve just eaten a giant pizza by myself but Tin Can just doesn’t enjoy the view as much.”

“Good point,” said Willow with a laugh. She sat down, already starting on the fries. They were hot, salty, crunchy, and overall, delicious.

“Feels nice to just be up here, away from it all,” said Alex.

“Yeah, it does,” said Willow. Alex silently munched as she looked out over the city lights.

“When I was younger, I used to come here all the time to just get away from it all,” said Alex. “Way up here, I could actually see the stars.”

“Me too,” said Willow. “Did you ever used to wish on them?”

“Sometimes,” said Alex. “And I’d drop coins into the Fountain of Aideen whenever I was in the area and had a coin to spare. I guess some of my wishes did come true, in the end.” Just not the way she’d expected or hoped, Willow guessed. She remained silent for a while, busy eating and enjoying the view and Alex’s company. Way up here, the stars really were more visible. It was beautiful.

“Do the druids ever use the stars in their magic or anything?” asked Willow on a whim. Alex looked at her.

“Kind of,” said Alex. “Apparently, the Moon Circle looks to the stars for omens. It’s more Fripp’s thing, though.”

“That’s kind of cool, I guess,” said Willow. “Could be a bit frightening, though, if you get a bad omen. And what about you, can you, like, control lightning or whatever?”

“Unfortunately, no,” said Alex with a laugh. “Cool as that would be. I can only stun people with magic, create force fields, close Pandoric cracks, read rune stones, and be as fast as lightning. Oh, and I never have to worry about bugs again since I’m my own personal bug zapper.”

“What?” asked Willow, startled into a laugh.

“Yeah,” said Alex, laughing with her. “A bug lands on me or Tin Can and then, zap, goodbye bug!” Willow had to laugh at the mental image, clutching her stomach as her laughter turned into wheezing. Alex smiled at her, looking so happy to see Willow so happy.

“I hope it’s only bugs, though,” said Willow. “It doesn’t have the same effect on other people, right?”

“I think you would’ve noticed by now if it did,” said Alex. “I can control it, though, unless I get really worked up or use a lot of my magic.”

“Hence the beanie?” asked Willow, eating a slice of pizza. Alex, thoughtfully, waited for her to swallow before answering.

“I looked like I’d been rolling on carpet for the first few weeks until I realised,” said Alex. Willow laughed at the mental image.

The two of them continued to eat their pizza and fries, sharing the bottle of Coke between them. Their horses, meanwhile, had the pick of the nice grass up here, and some water troughs that had been kindly put here (possibly by Rhiannon). Once they’d finished their meal, Willow and Alex reclined on the picnic blanket, either chatting or staring up at the stars. Willow snuggled closer to Alex, even if her mind did warn her to be careful of the static. She rested her head on Alex’s chest, ignoring the warnings of her mind.

“See?” said Alex as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. “No zaps.”

“There have been sparks, though,” Willow murmured. Alex looked at her. Willow grinned, leaning in and taking this opportunity to kiss her.

“Oh,” said Alex. Willow giggled, grinning as she looked into her girlfriend’s eyes. And Alex kissed her again as that warm spark of love grew once more in Willow’s chest. Dating a Soul Rider, anyone would expect things to not be normal. But this was very much normal. Just two girls reclining on a hilltop, zero feet apart because they were very gay and very much in love.


End file.
